Mould-more than meets the eye

Moulds are fungi which grow on a variety of vegetable and animal matter, especially under warm, moist conditions. Some moulds are partial to high-moisture fruits and vegetables, such as oranges and tomatoes, but many others are able to invade various types of foods during some stage of production, processing, transport or storage.

Hazards

At some time, most of us will see or have seen mouldy food. Our natural inclination is to scrape the mould away so that the food is not wasted. Before doing so, we should first consider the following facts.

Some moulds produce toxins called mycotoxins (stemming from the Greek "mykes" meaning mushroom which is also a type of fungus). Unfortunately, it is not possible to tell which moulds produce mycotoxins and which moulds are harmless simply by looking at them. Consequently, removing visible surface mould growth from a food and then eating the food could be dangerous.

If the mould had produced mycotoxins (they often produce more than one), these mycotoxins may have seeped under and around the mould growth. Some of these mould toxins are highly toxic even in small amounts and, in animal tests, have been found to cause cancer. Some mycotoxins can survive for a long time in food. Some are not even destroyed by heat; so, cooking won't help.

Industry and Government Responsibility

To protect the consumer, the food industry implements strict controls to avoid use of mouldy raw materials and contamination of food by mould during processing and storage.

The Health Protection Branch generates control measures and enforces them so that good manufacturing practices are maintained.

In the home, however, food safety rests with you, the consumer.

For more detailed information, read our Food Mould Factsheet.